


notes towards the antecedents of wicked counts

by betony



Category: Sylvester or the Wicked Uncle - Georgette Heyer, The Lost Heir - Phoebe Marlow
Genre: Characters Writing Fanfiction, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-11
Updated: 2014-03-11
Packaged: 2018-01-15 08:17:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 825
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1297903
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/betony/pseuds/betony
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The inevitable happens, and <i>The Lost Heir</i> meets fanfiction; neither its author nor its muse is much impressed.</p>
            </blockquote>





	notes towards the antecedents of wicked counts

**Author's Note:**

  * For [brutti_ma_buoni](https://archiveofourown.org/users/brutti_ma_buoni/gifts).



_From an article published in the_ Gazette _, by Another Lady, who greatly admires_ The Lost Heir: 

__

_It has often been said that those having been cursed with the burden of an infamous and illustrious name are doomed to live up to the expectations that accompany such a title; Ugolino, of a house drenched in sorrow and guilt, was no exception to this rule. And having been raised unaware of a mother’s love, her warm caresses, can he truly be held responsible, reader, for the cruelties his grieving heart perpetuated?_

* * *

Subsequent to the publication of a certain piece postulating the previous history of its villain, _The Lost Heir_ saw a short-lived revival in its popularity; where once it had only been read to mock one’s fellows, now several young ladies in the _ton_ declared a shift in their allegiances from the admittedly insipid Maximillian. More than one was heard to denounce poor Matilda soundly for choosing her true love over the brooding, tragic figure of her depraved uncle. 

The Duchess of Salford might have taken more umbrage at this offense to her beloved characters (not to mention the increased interest the same ladies took in her husband) if she had not been more concerned with proving her innocence. 

“I tell you, Sylvester, it wasn’t me!” she was overheard to protest; “I did tell her you might not be pleased, but she would not listen.” 

Her lord husband, however, only shook his head despairingly. “You mean to tell me,” Salford said, through gritted teeth, “that it was _my mother_ who perpetuated this…atrocity?” 

Phoebe nodded, a little helplessly. 

Sylvester groaned. 

“God help us all,” he pronounced. 

* * *

__

From an article published in the Gazette _, sent from France:_

__

_And surely you must see that Count Ugolino, wicked and conniving as he was, one day found his attentions growing to his noble brother’s wife. Twisted and wicked as his black heart was, he could not recognize the emotions that surged in his breast; instead, he only sent sharp words her way, and hated, and burned in his anger. When she, faithful and true a woman as ever lived, joined her husband in the crypt; for an instant he felt the sharp sting of despair that any true lover might, and the next, his attentions turned to golden-haired Matilda, the very picture of her lady mother, the lone chance he had to fulfill his guilty desire…_

* * *

“No,” was all the Duke of Salford could think to say upon examining the latest speculation as to the origins of Count Ugolino’s villain. “Regardless of what nonsense Ianthe chooses to imagine-- _No.”_

His Duchess, unfortunately, could form no rejoinder, having been overcome by a sudden fit of giggles. 

* * *

_From an article published in the_ Gazette _some days later, attributed to a certain S.R.:_

_Regarding the birth and breeding of Count Ugolino, it strikes this Gentleman that it came about in much the expected way; he was born, on the sunniest and most unremarkable of days, and grew to villainy out of nothing less than the sheer tedium that was all his peers could offer. To offer him more sinister motives would be, unfortunately, nothing more than the greatest foolishness…_

* * *

The Duke of Salford regarded the newest addition to Ugolino’s histories with the utmost satisfaction. True, more than a few might have complained at how banal it made Ugolino appear, but at the least it had somewhat dimmed the fashion to imagine increasingly ridiculous pasts for a character towards whom Salford felt, loath though he might be to admit it, irrational fondness. 

“You spoil all my fun, Sylvester,” said his wife sadly. “However shall I reform him now?” 

“He doesn’t need to be reformed, my dear,” replied Salford placidly; “he needs to have people understand what the truth of his past must have been.” 

His Duchess stared at him. “Sylvester, dear, you do realize he is only a character in a book?” 

“Of course I do,” said Salford, much affronted; and subsequently refused to broach the subject again. 

* * *

_Excerpt from A TALE OF UGOLINO’S WICKEDNESS_

_Composed by E. Rayne, transcribed by T. Orde_

_…And then the Count, faced by a thousand Black Knights who he had recruited and neglected to pay, drew out his sword. “You should not complain,” he told them. “You are all Bad Men.”_

_“Regardless,” snarled the knights’ leader, “we shall kill you!”_

_“Not if I kill you all first!” said Uncle Ugolino, and then, laughing wildly, he hacked them all to bits, and went home to eat a luncheon of cakes and sweetmeats, because as a wicked man, no one could make him eat ham and vegetables instead._

* * *

“What do I think?” Salford repeated, looking down at his nephew, who had just solemnly presented him with _A Tale of Ugolino’s Wickedness_. Edward’s face was bright with anticipation, his chest puffed out with pride. Sylvester smiled despite himself. 

“I think,” he said, “that it is my favorite tale of Ugolino yet.”


End file.
